3.5

After Emily Hauk's mother passed away, she knew she wanted to get away from the hustle of San Francisco. Both her and her husband Josh work from remotely, so the possibilities are wide open, and they have found their own little piece of heaven. The clear skies and acres of land on a rural farm in Nebraska are just what they wanted. Having both grown up in the city, running a farm is not what they have planned so things work out perfectly when they purchase a beautiful farmhouse with the prior family continuing to lease back and work the land.

With space away from her past, Emily has hope for dealing with her grief from losing her mom and hopefully sleeping better. She never expected a new horror to enter her life on the farm. There is something wrong about the barn in the field behind the house. A ghostly figure seems to be trying to warn her of something and when Emily wakes night after night hearing screams or music coming from the barn, she knows she has to find out what has happened on her farm. Is there a dark secret or is her sanity just slipping away from her?

Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel. The cover grabbed me first and I love a creepy, remote haunted house read. For the first half of the book, it was rating pretty high for me, but then it started to get a bit repetitive and such a slow burn that I was wondering if we would ever get to the point. I liked the characters, and the story gave lots of eerie creeps that kept me going. I feel like a little more editing would have benefited the story. You get a pretty good idea of what happened for quite a while before the reveal and the actual reveal is very short and to the point, end of story. For the buildup, I felt there was no twist or shock to the end. I will watch for future books from the author though. I liked her writing and the setting for the plot was well built. The payoff at the end was just missing a bit here.

Oof, I stuck this one out until the end, hoping and praying that the ending was going to stick the landing.

Nope, we just have a basic story of city people going to the country, mild ghostly encounters, some random serial killer type things, and a whole lot of gaslighting.

Nothing about anyones motivations made sense, there was nothing driving this story forward and the ending was so completely baffling that I could literally hear my eyes rolling.

Sometimes you just need to trust your gut and DNF.

This was a creepy book for sure!. The atmosphere is very eerie and haunting and the writing definitely pulled me in. I think the author did a great job setting up the scene and building up the tension. It’s definitely a slow burn but I don’t mind slow burns.

A haunted house horror story. Emily and Josh moved to rural Nebraska for a fresh start but what Emily finds is more of a nightmare. All sorts of odd things are happening so is Emily an unreliable narrator or is someone or something after her? No one believes her when she describes the lights and the movements, not even Josh but then....well, no spoilers. This is overlong but it did keep me turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. it's the sort of novel that's good for travel.

What a great thriller with creepy horror vibes this one was!! 🙌

I love me a good haunted house story, and the author did an excellent job of building the atmosphere! Definitely recommend checking this one out! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Chelsea Conradt for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

A Hauntingly Atmospheric Thriller

The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt is an exceptional debut that masterfully blends psychological suspense with supernatural elements. From the first page, Readers are immersed into a chilling narrative that explores themes of grief, isolation, and the unsettling mysteries lurking beneath the surface of rural life.

The story follows Emily Hauk and her husband, Josh, as they leave San Francisco to start anew on a farm in rural Nebraska after Emily's mother's passing. What seems like a peaceful retreat quickly turns into a nightmare as Emily begins to experience eerie occurrences—that suggest the farm is haunted by a dark past. As she delves deeper, Emily begins to question her own perceptions and the reality around her.

The rural setting becomes a character in itself, with the expansive cornfields and the looming, seemingly watchful barn adding to the sense of claustrophobia and tension. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the suspense to simmer and intensify,highlighting themes of trust, belief, and the challenges of dealing with trauma & delirium, keeping readers on edge until the final, conclusion.

Editor's note: This roundup is scheduled to publish in Georgia June 11 online and June 14 print in several newspapers. Will also publish in Mississippi and Alabama during the month in newspapers and magazines, timing up to local editors. Link below will be active June 11.

From new series starters (Michael Connelly’s “Nightshade”) to the tried-and-true (Kendra Elliot’s “Her First Mistake”) our beach bag is already overflowing, and what we offer here are just a few — OK, actually 25 — of the best beach reads published through the end of June. Later this season we’ll round out the list, but for now, find an old favorite, a debut thriller or just about anything in between — including a North Alabama favorite who you just might see dining at a Cullman restaurant.

“Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man” (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto: A lovable Chinese tea shop owner stumbles upon a distressed, young woman — and a murder, the investigation of which she decides to serve up herself. With lots of tea and nosy charm, Vera tackles the project unasked as a “favor” to her (hoped for) future daughter-in-law. Sutanto mixes cozy mystery with smart humor and heartfelt moments.

“When She Was Gone” (Blackstone Publishing) by Sara Foster: When a young nanny working for one of Perth’s wealthiest families disappears, a tense investigation unravels the secrets of a seemingly perfect family, forcing everyone to confront the lies they’ve told themselves and each other. Foster delivers a taut, emotionally resonant thriller that lingers. And as expected from Blackstone Publishing, the story itself is packaged beautifully with subtle and tactile cover art: Buy the hardcover of this one.

“Follow Me” (Thomas & Mercer) by Elizabeth Rose Quinn: An eerie digital breadcrumb trail leads a tech-savvy woman into a web of deception and danger. Quinn crafts a smart, suspenseful mystery that taps into our modern fears of surveillance and online identity. “Heathers” meets “The Stepford Wives” in this tale of twin sisters.

“The Book That Held Her Heart” (Ace) by Mark Lawrence: In this final chapter of The Library Trilogy, a mysterious book bridges love, loss and literary magic in a haunting story that defies time and tests the bond between Livira and Evar — one that has never been more taut. Lawrence blends fantasy and emotion in this lyrical, genre-bending tale.

“The Great Pyramids: Collected Stories” (Arcade Publishing) by Frederick Barthelme: This sharp, wry collection captures small-town oddities, human longing and ironic twists with Barthelme’s signature minimalist flair. A masterclass in short fiction that’s both grounded and subtly surreal.

“The Boomerang” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Bailey: Big Pharma is on trial as Eli James, chief of staff to the president, attempts to rescue his daughter from a cancer diagnosis while simultaneously stumbling upon a cover up that could affect millions of lives — and more importantly to the bad guys, billions of dollars. Bailey keeps the thrills high and the emotional stakes higher. He also lives with his family in Huntsville — and has been know to visit Cullman County now and then. Let him know what you think of his latest if you see him around town.

“A Thousand Natural Shocks” (Blackstone Publishing) by Omar Hussain: A reporter fleeing his past while investigating a serial killer becomes entangled in a cult that promises a pill to erase his memory. The story turns to a test of time as dark secrets about the cult and the serial killer surface in an attempt to reconcile everything he’s learned with his past — before his memories evaporate.

“My Friends” (Atria Books) by Fredrik Backman: Backman returns with a moving meditation on friendship, aging, the quiet heroism of everyday people and a famous painting picturing an isolated moment of time of three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier. Tender, funny and unmistakably human, this is Backman’s most eloquent and lyrical story to date about how lives intersect in unknowable and unpredictable ways. An engaging read from the author of “A Man Called Ove.”

“The Language of the Birds” (Ballantine) by K.A. Merson: Arizona is no average teenager and when she finds a cryptic ransom note, she sets out to solve the riddles — and save her mother. Unwittingly, she becomes entangled in a worldwide treasure hunt that involves a centuries-old secret her father took to his grave. A quirky, surprising story soars in an introspective mystery.

“The Eternal Warrior” (Blackstone Publishing) by Ari Marmell: An immortal fighter who defies even death — an Eternal Warrior — is caught in a conflict that spans centuries, grappling with his past sins and the future of humanity in an attempt to reclaim everything that has slipped from his personal history. Marmell delivers epic fantasy with grit, heart and unrelenting pace.

“Nightshade” (Little, Brown and Company) by Michael Connelly: Done with Bosch and Ballard, at least for now, Connelly’s new series starter centers on another one-name detective, Stilwell. Due to department politics, the Los Angeles County sheriff detective has been exiled to a low-level post on Catalina Island, where he promptly begins to ruffle local feathers as he unearths secrets the natives would rather keep to themselves. Hopefully Connelly’s flair for backstory and depth will surface in future offerings, but for now, our first meeting with Stilwell offers a familiar, fun summer read.

“Kaua’i Storm” (Thomas & Mercer) by Tori Eldridge: In the lush Hawaiian landscape, a repatriated national park ranger uncovers a mystery surrounding the disappearance of her two cousins. Unfortunately for her, it’s a mystery and investigation that neither the family, the locals nor the police truly want exposed. Eldridge blends action and cultural depth in a uniquely tropical thriller.

“Rockets’ Red Glare” (Blackstone Publishing) by William Webster and Dick Lochte: A high-octane political thriller unfolds against the backdrop of a potentially explosive Fourth of July. Lochte’s sharp storytelling and fast pacing make for a perfect July 4 holiday page-turner. The book is the first in a series with Tribal Police Deputy Sage Mendiluze. Reacher and Pickett fans will find common ground here.

“Written on the Dark” (Ace) by Guy Gavriel Kay: Kay returns with an evocative, elegant historical fantasy set in a world where poetry, memory and fate collide. Centering on a tavern poet who must cater to both rogues and courtiers, Thierry Villar must also navigate churning political waters in a game of assassins and armies. Richly imagined and beautifully told storytelling.

“A Dead Draw” (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni: In book 11 of the Tracy Crosswhite series, a pair of cold cases stir ties to the murder of Tracy’s sister in the form of suspect Erik Schmidt. When Schmidt is freed due to an investigative error, the lives of her friends and family are under direct threat. Schmidt is a master of taunt and tease as he draws Tracy deeper into his dark world. Wonderful character building in this story and the sensitive drawing of Lydia, a young woman on the spectrum whose mannerisms echo those of Tracy’s murdered sister, is exceptionally done. One of Dugoni’s best works, the author brings in just enough backstory to both start the series here, and reward long-time readers with vintage Crosswhite.

“The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club” (Ballantine Books) by Martha Hall Kelly: In a story told through dual timelines, Kelly’s narrative is a personal ode to her mother’s heritage. Involving a contemporary mystery, set at Martha’s Vineyard, whose only answers will come from the past, the story taps a wartime romance set in 1942 — and a beach read written for today. Kelly is touring extensively for this book through the end of July. Meet up with her at marthahallkelly.com/events/.

“The Turn” (Blackstone Publishing) by Christopher Ransom: An heirloom, of sorts, following his father’s death sends Casey Sweet into his dad’s past — and a current country club where Casey might just have met the long-lost son he never knew he had. Written in the tradition of “Caddyshack,” Ransom’s new novel is an engaging summer break.

“The Afterlife Project” (Podium Publishing) by Tim Weed: Humanity is facing extinction. A group of scientists with the capability to send a test subject 10,000 years into the future. One of the last women on Earth capable of getting pregnant. All of this portends that the survival of humankind is at stake in a futuristic setting evoking the ills of today.

“It Takes a Psychic” (Berkley) by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle: A psychic investigator — actually, a para-archeologist — with a flair for romance and the paranormal dives into a case filled with danger and sizzling chemistry. Castle delivers her signature mix of mystery charm in a story centering on a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. “It Takes a Psychic” is No. 18 in Castle’s A Harmony Novel series.

“The Ghostwriter” (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark: An author’s past returns to haunt her in the form of a ghostwriting project undertaken for her estranged father. When the project turns out to be just another one of dad’s lies, writer Olivia Dumont is forced to confront her relationship with her father … and a web of family secrets.

“Stop All the Clocks” (Arcade) by Noah Kumin: Kumin’s debut is a meditative, poetic novel about time, grief and the modern-life moments that define us … in ones and zeroes. The death of a colleague and the collapse of her AI company send Mona Veigh’s life in directions not determined by any algorithm.

“Plays Well with Others” (Blackstone Publishing) by Lauren Myracle: A bout of social media betrayal forces Jake Nolan from her job, house and husband and into a receptive bungalow on Sweetwater Lane. There, she befriends those just like herself — people itching to act on entrenched thoughts of retaliation.

“Her First Mistake” (Montlake) by Kendra Elliot: Elliot has written nearly two dozen thrillers set in her home state of Oregon and this latest offering features a minor character from the Columbia River novels: Here, Deschutes County sheriff’s detective Noelle Marshall gets her own origin story. A cold case murder mystery, this is the tale that explains what happened to Marshall to make her the detective she is today, or at least what she becomes in later storylines. A fulfilling storyline delivers much more than backstory in a captivating summer read.

“Jill Is Not Happy” (Scarlet) by Kaira Rouda: In this darkly comic tale, Jill and Jack live an enviable life in South California and, as recent empty-nesters, an unbearable marriage. A road trip “to reconnect” is really a cat-and-mouse game unknown to each other as they unwittingly match their cunning to pull one in … and push the other over, the more-than-metaphorical ledge.

“The Farm House” (Poisoned Pen Press) by Chelsea Conradt: Looking for a fresh start after her mother dies, Emily Hauk and her husband depart for a farm in rural Nebraska. Learning nothing from centuries of thrillers (“The Amityville Horror,” anyone?), they should have asked why the asking price was so low. Unknown to them, everyone who has ever lived on this farm has died. The lure of the soil is compelling, though, as Emily digs into the mystery enveloping her new home.

Reach book reviewer Tom Mayer at tmayer@rn-t.com or tmayer132435@gmail.com.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of the Farmhouse.

Oof, this book was absolutely not for me. I had to DNF because I was so incredibly uninterested in the story and did not like the writing style. I wish I had seen the many similar reviews to mine before requesting.

Usually I finish a book before I write the review. Or it sits half read for a while until I finish it and then do a review.
I cannot with this book. I have whiplash from this writing. One line Josh and Emily are bickering and the next line everything is fine. The writing feels disjointed and I understand what she is trying to do but it's not working. It feels like this a rough first draft and needs an editor to go through it a couple of times. I don't ever like saying anything negative about books, I always try to find something I like and focus on that. But this book had so much potential and only 50% in it's a slog. It's even more disappointing because I know it could be 100% better. The plot is there! It's just the dialogue and description is excruciating. I really really wanted to like this book. The cover art is awesome, the summary sounded so good. Maybe her next book will be a little more polished and readable.
I'll come back if I finish but I needed to get these thoughts out.

I looooove a haunted house story and this is a great one. Emily is dealing with the grief from recently losing her mother. She and her husband Josh decide to move from San Francisco to rural Nebraska, where they have bought property. They fix the farmhouse, and the lands are leased back to the family to continue farming.

While Emily initially enjoys the isolation, things are not quite as they seem. The barn seems to be moving. Emily (and only Emily) sees strange lights in the barn and hears music in the dead of the night. The farmhands seem to avoid the house. As Emily digs into the property’s tragic past, the ghostly encounters grow stronger and Emily becomes more convinced the farmhands have committed murders, while her husband thinks she is letting her grief get the best of her.

This was a great slow-burn horror. I love a book where things seem idyllic but there’s something just a little off that you can’t put your finger on, and this book delivers that. The isolated atmosphere of a rural farm adds to the claustrophobia you feel as a reader.

Emily is gaslit at every turn by her husband, the lead farmhand, and the local law enforcement. This is frustrating at times, but the incident that finally made Josh believe Emily was so satisfying.

Overall, this is the type of horror book I really enjoy: female lead, eerie setting, building sense of creeping dread, and a satisfying resolution.

I love a good haunted house trope and old creepy farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere is totally my jam. I thought the spooky atmosphere of this book was so good. I was really drawn in by what was happening with the movement of the farmhouse and the barn and the mystery that ends up evolving. The husband was infuriating but I ended up really liking this overall.

Thank you NetGalley and poisoned Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!

With atmospheric settings, potential paranormal encounters and an unreliable narrator, The Farmhouse delivers a highly enjoyable twisted mystery. The slow burn story unravels the history of the farmhouse and barn. No one can be trusted. This made for great read and unpredictable ending.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! The vibes were eerie and creepy throughout and I really enjoyed the ghostly elements. As a Midwestern girly, I loved the rural farmhouse setting! Being out in the middle of nowhere truly can be as peaceful and unnerving as the author portrayed!

I loved following the twisty back and forth over whether or not we can trust the narrator, Emily, and all these spooky things that keep happening. She truly is braver than I because I would have noped out of there so fast! The ending was great as well. GOOD FOR HER!!

I can’t wait to read what Chelsea Conradt writes next!

This one was difficult for me to get through at times. I didn't like the characters - I found them to be a bore. Halfway through I was question what the end game of this book was. I will absolutely check this author out in the future, but this one unfortunately didn't capture my interest.

4 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

When Emily Hauk's mother dies, it's time for her and her husband, Josh, to finally leave San Francisco. A farm in rural Nebraska is everything they want for a fresh start: clear skies, low costs, and distance from the grief back home.
They should have asked why the farm was for sale.

I'll give the book credit: the scariest part of the whole thing was the fact that a woman will always be told she's acting crazy, even by her own loved ones. It was so incredibly frustrating for Josh to constantly belittle Emily's worries and fears, even when he was claiming to believe her.

The biggest downside to the book was that it did not need to be as long as it was. It could have been condensed down another 50ish pages and still had the same gut punch plot. But I loved the spookies and I loved the mystery.

3.25 Stars.

I probably would have liked this one more if I were a less experienced reader. I certainly read a lot of this type of book in my teens and absolutely gobbled them up. The Farmhouse is part psychological suspense and part ghost story. But, the repetitive nature of the story and the shallowness of the characters, especially the husband, made this one fall a bit flat for me.

#TheFarmhouse
#NetGalley
#PoisonedPenPress

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read/review this ARC.

I just finished The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt, and let me tell you, I could not put it down. I picked it up thinking it would be a typical small-town mystery with some spooky vibes, but it turned out to be way more intense and layered than I expected.

The story kicks off when a group of teens ends up at this abandoned farmhouse, and from the moment they get there, you just know something's off. I had that “don’t go in there!” feeling the whole time, which, to be honest, is exactly what I want from a thriller. The tension builds fast, and the atmosphere is so well written that I could basically hear the creaky floorboards and feel the chill in the air.

What surprised me most was how much I cared about the characters. They’re not just throwaway horror movie types. They felt like real people with real fears and secrets, and as everything starts to unravel, you get this sinking feeling that not everyone is going to make it out okay. And yeah, there are twists. Some I saw coming, some I definitely did not, and that just made it all the more fun.

This book gave me creepy, suspenseful, and surprisingly emotional all at once. If you like thrillers with a solid mystery, a bit of nostalgia, and characters who actually feel human, The Farmhouse is worth a read. Just maybe keep a light on while you do.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

I unfortunately had to DNF at 24 pages. I just...did we have to hear how hot her husband is every other sentence? It totally ruined the vibe the early chapter had set.

The Farmhouse had an eerie vibe that capitalizes on the farm being in the middle of nowhere. I found the story intriguing and wanted to see what would happen. The negatives for me was that things started to get a bit repetitive and it caused everything stalled out for a while in the middle, as well as the husband and wife dynamic which never felt right no matter how the story played out.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A haunting tale that slowly creeps up on you. The start was a little slow for me. Not much was happening. I did enjoy the creepy vibes.